The Visit
by FOXGIRL200
Summary: After a while, Jade allows August to return to the Vega/West home for a CHAPERONED visit...


Disclaimer: I own nothing...at all

"…Okay."

"WHAT?!" Usually after a request (plea), what follows is a lengthy list of conditions and/or threats…at least when making a request with Jade West. Everything was more of a bet with her. ("I'll let you stay home from school _if_ you clean the basement….and if not; you go to school in your pajamas for a week.") Well…that may have been a bad example. Jo would have gladly gone to school in her pajamas…good thing Jade made that bet with Jess, huh? Oh and Jess' face when she trudged into school in her fluffy bunny slippers and unicorn t-shirt, topped off with the power puff girl pajama pants- -it was quite the sight. Jo stood stock still in the middle of the living room, mouth ajar and eyes wider. Jess calmly closed Jo's mouth as she walked by and into the kitchen. That was nice wasn't it? Jo stood stone still…still. I mean- -urgh, grammar is not my thing! Sue me…not really. She seemed almost frozen, as if she didn't remember how to move. It wasn't as if she expected Jade to refuse…okay…that was a _lie!_ Honestly…it's _Jade._ Scissor wielding, death glaring, bunny loving Jade! Okay the last one wasn't a bad thing, but…you get the point! The woman is practically every movie villainess wrapped up in one freakishly pale package. And yet, she said "yes"…she said "yes" as if it were no big deal…Excuse Jo if she's about to have a heart attack from the shock. "That's all you're going to say; no conditions; no threats…no hidden cameras, nothing?!

"Why would you think there'd be hidden cameras?"

You do know you're Jade West, right? Why wouldn't there be hidden cameras?" Jo asked…poor girl was so unbelievably confused.

"Hey, I admit I can be…harsh." Understatement…"But I'm not completely heartless. August can come over here tomorrow afternoon for a SUPERVISED visit." Did you ever have a moment when you hear something so amazing, yet so wonderfully brilliant that you just want to hear it again and again? Well, Jo just had one of those moments. Granted, she and August would not be alone…at all. It really was nice to have her boyfriend over for the first time in…who knows. Ahem…forty days. Forty long, painful…red headed-less days! Hey, it's Jo…leave her be. What she didn't comprehend was the fact that maybe just maybe, Jade was warming to the fact that Jess and she had boyfriends. The very thought sent a rather unusual, rather unbelievable feeling to blossom in Jo's chest- -she couldn't even name it A little kindness from Jade and the world falls of its axis. But…what was Jo still doing in the living room?! Call August, invite him over…maybe Kaiten, too. Hey, Jess would be happy…and Jo was too excited to find the happy couple slightly nauseating.

"YES, YES, YES!"

""Hmph…did the school start serving free coffee with lunch or something?" Tori asked as she made her way into the house after closing and locking the door.

"No…she's just having a moment because I agreed to let August come over."

"Okay- -wait!"

"What?" Jade asked.

"Wait half a minute. You willingly allowed Jo to invite her boyfriend, the same boy who I found shirtless in our bath tub, over for a visit? Are you feeling okay? Did you forget to drink your coffee today? Maybe you should get a cup, right now. How many fingers am I holding up?!" Tori had figured Jade would wait at least two or so weeks or so before even considering such a thing. Hey! Do _not_ look at me…you remember what happened with the sprinklers, and heat wave, and pretty much any and everything that had happened involving August and Jo…Or…Kaiten and Jess' first date…Or boys in general. Yeah…Jade _really_ didn't like boys.I mean…I repeat, for probably the hundredth-eighty-ninth time since I began telling these stories: WE ARE TALKING ABOUT JADE WEST!

"Tori…I've had two cups of coffee today…my caffeine levels are at an all time high."

"So you really agreed to do this?" Tori asked.

"Yes…I did. It's only one visit- -a supervised visit. Don't worry. Our bath tub will not be violated again."

"Good…"

XXXX

You ever feel like you're being watched…? That the walls have eyes and they're all on you? Like you're the center of attention, but not in a good way? Well, August was experiencing that very feeling at this exact moment. He had been so excited once news of Jade's decision to allow him to visit had come through; that feeling had transformed into utter terror and frustration. Again…don't look at me! It's hard to kiss your girlfriend while her sister's are less than four feet away on the opposite couch. Add in your own brother and parents…Jade wasn't kidding when she said the visit would be supervised. Something had to give. August awkwardly, tentatively placed an arm around Jo's shoulder; nothing serious…just minor physical affection. Easy…calm…he chanced a glance at Jess… _don't let them her kill me…don't let them maim me…dint tell them where the scissors are…!_ The credits for the movie began to roll.

"Well…that was…fun!" Jess awkwardly stretched her limbs.

"Yeah…" Jo allowed her eyes to dart around the room.

"So…August tells us that you and Tori are newlyweds. Congratulations…" Adam Jones was a tall man of 6'4'' with large green eyes and brown tinted hair and pale tan. He was an imposing man; lean and strong, with a glance that could unnerve even the most confidant of men. Jo had been instantly terrified upon their first meeting. He was a handsome man, a muscular man. Psst…think of an older Kaiten minus the birthmark…his hands- -large, rough hands- -a were more than weapon enough to ensure his own safety; it was rumored that he'd knocked three people unconscious in the same hour…at the age of eleven. Almost as if Adam could sense her, his eyes snapped to Jo's, startling her to a point she was more than embarrassed to admit. He smiled his infamously crooked grin, his perfectly straight teeth now visible.

"Thank you…it's been six weeks almost."

"That's nice…August here is always going on about how you much he loves seeing you guys; the boy is dead set on discovering the secret behind Jade's caffeine addiction." Rebecca Jones was, in possibly every way, the exact opposite of her husband and sons. Short, petite women of barely 5'2'', her blond curls were often the first thing to be noticed about her; her icy blue eyes being the second.

"Really…?"

"…Maybe." August shrank back into the couch. Odd as it might be, he was less open to attention today…unless it was from Jo.

"Well…my great-great grandma started drinking coffee when she was thirteen; and when she had kids, she had them drink coffee, too, and when my grandma had my mom, tradition continued…sort of."

"What do you mean?" Adam asked.

"My mom was dead set on keeping me away from any and everything involving caffeine: soda, coffee…some other third thing…"

"Why…?"

"I was a pretty…hyper kid." Jade, for once, sounded sheepish, embarrassed.

Pause…

Pause…

"Oh, so, how about the scissor thing?" August asked.

"Well…when I was in elementary school, which was, hmmm…twenty-two years ago- -twenty years?! I am so old. Anyway…I wasn't exactly the most…popular kid in school. In fact I was…picked on…a lot. And in eighth grade, when I grew into my looks and boys started liking me, they weren't exactly nice about it. And one day, some boys cornered me in the classroom. By then I'd gotten a reputation as the "scary chick" but these boys were dumb enough to try their luck. The only things I had were a ruler and a pair of scissors…apparently boys are more afraid of scissors than measuring sticks."

"Wow…"

"Yeah…"

"That e-explains…a lot, a-a-actually." Kaiten shifted.

"Anyway…enough about Jade…!" Tori said. "August!"

Oh…crap.

"Tell us about yourself. I feel like there's still a lot we don't know."

"Ummm…well," August shifted uncomfortably. "What do you want to know?" _My schedule…? Social security number…? Blood type…?_

"You never did tell us how you and Jo officially met."

"Oh...well…"

XXXX

 _He wasn't so sure this was a good idea; then again, when did Kaiten suggest anything that could even be considered a somewhat descent idea. August adjusted his glasses. 'Book Club.' The sign was old, falling apart and chipping away even as he stood outside the door. Apparently no one at Hollywood Arts liked to read…except for the girls settled near the back of the room, deep in conversation about their respective books. He removed his glasses- -he'd never liked the things- -and took a deep breath. He opened the door…and walked right into the path of a mysterious beauty- -quiet, beautiful, mischievous and crazy- -he'd heard the stories. Joanne West. The West girls were quite popular around the school. Jess was rumored to be dating his brother, Kaiten. August had his suspicions, but wasn't so sure. They seemed to be rather friendly with each other…well, during the fleeting moments August had witnessed between the two. He had never officially met the girls- -he had no experience with girls whatsoever. And he refused to willingly embarrass himself in such a way._

" _Oh, sorry."_

Talk…talk, idiot! Do not end up like the cliché nerd of every high school romantic comedy! Talk. To. Her! _"AUGUST!"_ what was that…?!

" _Actually it's March…at least I think it is. Did you want to join book club?"_

" _Ummm…I- -yes! Yes, I do! That would be just- -please!"_ honestly, I am embarrassed to be your mind!

" _Cool…so your name…?"_

" _Jones…August Jones."_ What the- -was that your James Bond impersonation? What is wrong with me?

" _Jones…Jones…you're Kaiten's brother, right? He and my sister spend a lot of time together."_

" _Yeah…that's me!"_ Seriously? This is getting painful.

 _The beauty giggled. "I'm Joanne…call me Jo."_

" _Sure thing! No problem."_ Oh, my. Did my voice actually crack?! _Well…this was not going the way he wanted; then again, things rarely did when the opposite sex was involved. August shifted. "I mean, uh- -I don't know what I mean". He was no good at this, and by the look on her face, she was finding his fit amusing. Apparently okay…calm down…breath…don't freak out…well, he managed to succeed in the first two. Outward appearance would suggest that he was completely confident, sure of himself- -he was anything but deep. In truth, he was very close to hyperventilating. Joanne West. She was talking to him, asking questions, joking around in the care free manner that had earned her the moniker "Smoking Gun". And he, in all his awkwardness, wasn't responding! August was sure that his cheeks put his hair to shame the second her hand touched his arm. She was friendly, kind…that was a nice change from the usually stuck up, self absorbed girls he'd encountered during his time at the school. She led him to the group- -if you could call it that- -and once they sat down, he noticed that she hadn't released his hand. And he found himself smiling like an idiot at the realization._

" _You're cute…I think we'll get along just fine…"_

" _Yay!"_ crap…I said that out loud!

" _Yeah…we'll get along fine…"_

XXXX

"You wear glasses…?"

"Yeah…sorry I didn't tell you; I thought they made me look…dumb." August said.

"Oh…well, you're wrong; I love glasses; do you still have them?" Jo asked. And August couldn't help but thinking that she was a little _too_ excited about his visual enhancers.

"I- -yeah…I only wear them when I run out of contacts; I guess I could wear them at school sometime, if only for you to see them."

"Yay…"

"Okay…enough of that! So…August, tell us, how did you go about asking Joanne to be your girlfriend?" this time, it was Adam to ask the question.

"You didn't tell them?" Jo asked.

"Well…I mean it's not exactly a…happy story. I was hoping to never have to speak of it again." August said.

"Well…?" Rebecca asked.

"Ummm…"

XXXX

" _Why do you like me?"_

 _What?_

" _I don't understand what you mean Jo? Why wouldn't I like you?" August asked…poor boy was so unbelievably confused._

" _Everyone likes someone for a reason, August. Jess likes Kaiten because he's sweet and nice, smart and always willing to help a friend. I like you because we have fun together-three musketeer's type fun even if there are only two of us. We laugh, we talk…we tell each other things. I can trust you…with anything." Jo sighed. "But look at me; I'm weird and annoying; I do crazy things and I can't even when an argument against a bitchy bootleg Barbie wannabe. I'm nothing."_

" _That isn't true…you are amazing, Jo…you are unbelievable."_

" _Yeah…unbelievably pathetic."_

" _Blasphemy!"_

" _Wha…?"_

" _You heard me…I will not stand here and let you put yourself down like this! You are a beautiful, talented, funny, sweet, wicked smart person. Anyone who doesn't see that must have a loaf of bread for a brain…" August crossed the room until he was toe to toe with Jo. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Kelly is…well, stupid, honestly, and what she said was so far from the truth. She's just jealous that she doesn't look as gorgeous yet overwhelmingly adorable as you do." He placed a gentle kiss on her eyebrow._

 _He sure did know how to make a girl blush._

" _But…my leg…and everything-"_

" _I don't give a fat rat's hairy ass what Kelly said about your leg; I think you're perfect, and the scars are a testament to your strength. They tell the story of your will to live. Those scars are a part of you, but they don't define you. Jo…I love those scars."_

" _What?" Jo asked._

" _They are a constant reminder of how lucky I am to know you; how amazingly strong willed you are and…really; I've always thought scars were kind of hot." The blush that covered his face put his hair to shame. "And you with scars had the power to drive me nuts." Jo was blushing a shade of red unknown to man. Well…that was new information. Jo made sure to store it away for later. They stayed like that, trapped in each other's gaze for minutes…maybe hours. Jo couldn't remember. His eyes were so…gorgeous, so smoldering…so BLUE! God...well, blue was one of Jo's favorite colors. Their lips touched and everything seemed to melt away except the feel of strong arms and minty fresh breath ghosting across her pale cheeks. There was a strange pleasure in kissing August that had nothing to do with the kiss itself. It was as if something in the universe had fallen into place. Kissing August was, in a way, a realization of a fantasy she hadn't known existed before that day._

 _Goodness…now I know why Jess made such a fuss about kissing Kaiten; his lips are…oh, my God._

 _She tried to follow him as he pulled away. "So…what do we do now?"_

" _Well…I was thinking that since our first "date" turned into a shit pile before our eyes, we could take a few weeks, talk about our relationship-wow that was lame-maybe go from there. Because I like you, a lot, and I'd really like to take you on an official date. I mean…if it's okay with you, that is! No pressure or anything."_

" _I'd…like that."_

 _August smiled. "Now, about that skirt fiasco…"_

XXXX

"Cute…really cute. I'm impressed; y-you are q-quite the r-r-romantic." Kaiten said.

"Yeah…well…don't tell anyone…" August said; his embarrassment was palpable.

"Awww…he's blushing!" Rebecca laughed.

"…Am not!"

"Yeah…you are." Jess said.

"Cute…so, how about that incident with the shorts. We never did find out what happened after Jade chased us out of the house…where did you two go?" Jess asked.

What was this? An interrogation?!

""Ummm…well- -"

"It's okay, Red. I'll take this one." Jo said.

XXXX

" _WHAT THE HELL ARE BOYS DOING IN THE LIVING ROOM?! TORI! WHERE ARE MY SCISSORS?!"_

 _Jo didn't know what happened or when, but eventually she found herself standing outside, wrapped in August's arms while a furious Jade was being restrained by the calmer, more amused Tori. And it looked like she was about to break free. And Jo was appropriately terrified. "I suggest you get away from here while you can; I'm not as strong as I look." Tori grunted. And the, Jo was moving, but her feet weren't on the ground. It took her a few moments to realize that August was carrying her…all the way down the street._

" _Ummm…Red…not that I'm not enjoying this- -I totally am- -but why did you carry me?"_

" _Oh…well, you see, the whole reason Kaiten and I- -well the reason_ I- - _came over was to invite you to get some ice cream. I don't know why Kaiten came with me- -Ms. White is giving it away free all day." Ms. Dana White was a kindly old woman of sixty-four with locks of pure white and ice of intense, hypnotizing green; she was known for her generosity. The owner of a small ice cream shop block away from Hollywood Arts, the woman was often ill, leaving her son, Aaron, in charge of the shop. A tall and slender man of 5'11'', Aaron was also employed as a mechanic. Appearance wise he was the splitting image of his father, Michael White. Personality- -he was very much his mother's son. Jo smiled. It was more than uncomfortably hot…it was hot enough to make the devil reach for the thermostat! Ice cream would be the perfect way to ease their suffering._

" _Let's go."_

" _Very well…"_

" _Carry me…?" Jo asked._

"… _Always…"_

XXXX

"Such a g-gentlemen…"

"Oh…shush…" August growled.

"Yeah…I wish I could be carried all the way to an ice cream shop by my boyfriend!" Jess sighed. And Kaiten face palmed.

"Yeah Kaiten…I guess August has you beat in the romance department, doesn't he, Joanne?" Rebecca asked, her face contorting into a grin that caused a blush to rise to both Jo and August's cheeks.

"Oh- -I…I guess."

"Last question before you leave: Why did you hide in the bath tub of all places?" Tori asked. "I mean…why not just leave?"

"Oh…well…I, Ummm…I had to pee." August said. "And then I heard someone heading toward the bathroom and I just- -the tub _was_ right there."

"Ahh…now it all makes sense." Jess said.

And, in fact, instead o leaving, August and family ended up staying in the Vega/West home for another two hours, trading stories- -mostly at August and Jo's expense.

XXXX

Well, that was actually fun." Jo said.

"It was…you s-s-should hide in t-t-their bath t-t-tub more o-often!" Kaiten asked. Did you ever have a moment when you hear yourself say something so stupid, so uncalled for, yet for some reason you just can't stop the words from passing through your lips? Well, Kaiten just had one of those moments. Granted, he was trying to express his joy…I think. It was possible that he genuinely wanted to watch another movie. And as such, the room around him grew silent, the only sound being the tick of the clock hanging on the wall beside the kitchen entry way. Jess face palmed in a way that sounded painful. Seriously? SERIOUSLY?! Of all the- -three respective hands reached out at once, smacking the oblivious boy on the back of the head and earning a loud, "OUCH!" in response. Yeah…I'm almost sure that Kaiten will have one hell of a bruise in the morning. I can't say I feel bad for him; he did this to himself/ or did I do it to him? I mean, it is my story. So, did he do it because I wanted him to it? I'm confused. Either way! Where was I again? OH! I remember…sort of…at this rate people will think _I'm_ the one who got a hit to the head. And they wouldn't exactly be wrong in that assumption.

Poor Kaiten.


End file.
